In this article we retrace a fundamental part of the history of Formula 1, the one that has to do with the sons of art
Formula 1 is the most important and difficult international motor racing championship. Racing there is the dream of anyone who starts running on the track. The ultimate ambition for any rider. However, the path to get there is long and very difficult. There are many costs to bear and the environment has been very competitive since karting.
Anyone with aspirations of becoming a pilot Formula 1 it must have that something extra that not everyone has. Winning from a young age is important in this, but in the end it may not be enough. Suffice it to say that even the champions of the minor Formulas struggle to obtain important results once they arrive in the top series.
What is certain is that for some, having a parent or relative who has racing in their blood can be an extra help in the journey to get to F1, passing on the passion and maybe some tricks to get as far as possible. At the same time, however, being the son of a former pilot can prove to be a double-edged sword.
After everyone has seen the talent and victories of the parents, the expectations on the child can become very high, so much so that the latter may not be able to handle the pressure and fail to obtain the desired results. This is a case that occurs not only in car racing but also in other sports. But who are the most famous sons of art in the history of Formula 1? Below is the list.
The sons of art in the history of Formula 1
Those who have almost never felt pressure certainly are Max Verstappen, recently three-time world champion thanks to an incredible season in which he respected – and perhaps even surpassed given the record of 16 GPs won – the predictions of the day before such as those of Betway Sports. Precocious talent from Red Bull, so much so that he made his Formula 1 debut at just 17 years old and immediately became a protagonist. The Dutchman is the son of former driver Jos Verstappen, who in his career raced with Benetton, Simtek, Footwork, Tyrrell, Stewart, Arrows and Minardi, competing in a total of 107 grands prix and obtaining two podiums. At the time of Benetton, in particular, he was the partner of Michael Schumacher, a great Formula 1 player capable of winning seven world titles.
The German gives us the opportunity to talk about another son of art, his son, Mick Schumacher. He is one of those who failed to do well in his first seasons in the Circus. His talent allowed him to win the Formula 3 and Formula 2 championships, but once he arrived in F1, he failed to live up to Haas’ expectations, which had entrusted him with a seat, and Ferrari, of which he was part as a member of the Maranello Academy until last year. This season he is the reserve driver and test driver for the Mercedes team.
Then we find Keke and Nico Rosberg. The first was Formula 1 world champion in 1982 with Williams. The son, however, won his first and only world title in 2016 at the end of a sporting battle with his teammate Lewis Hamilton. Curious, then, is the fact that when the father won it was the Finnish anthem that resounded, while for the son the German one. Nico’s mother is in fact German and he was born in Germany, reasons why the former Mercedes driver chose to race under the Teutonic flag during his career. The Rosberg family was also the second to pass down the championship victory.
The first was the Hill family, with Graham Hill, world champion in 1962 (with BRM) and 1968 (with Lotus). A plane crash took him away too soon and took away his dream of seeing his son Damon triumph, becoming world champion in 1996 with Williams. However, he who succeeded where his father had not succeeded was Jacques Villeneuve, son of the unforgettable Gilles Villeneuve, one of the drivers most loved by Ferrari fans and by Enzo Ferrari himself, winning the 1997 title (with Williams). His success came fifteen years after his father’s death, which occurred during the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix in a terrible accident that threw him out of the cockpit of the single-seater.
Among the other sons of art in Formula 1 we find Nelson Piquet and Nelson Piquet Jr. The former was a three-time world champion. A true Circus legend whose son, however, did not have the same luck. Arriving with high expectations, Nelsinho’s experience in the top flight was disappointing and, after two seasons and just one podium, he had to say goodbye to F1 for good.
Also worth mentioning Mario and Michael Andretti, with the father winning the 1978 title and the son having only one season in Formula 1 at the wheel of McLaren. For further updates and news, continue to tune in to techgameworld.com.